Chapter 48: "Carriage Ambush" - From Emi's Perspective

Chapter 48: "Carriage Ambush" - From Emi's Perspective “Carriage Ambush” – From Emi’s Perspective

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Eating insects by pinching them and hunting and eating magical beasts is all well and good.

But once in a while, I want to eat a meal with some effort put into it.

It had been about a month since I, little Emi-chan, set out from my master’s house.

I was thinking such thoughts as I finally descended the nameless mountain, pushing through the grass in the forest.

Then, I heard angry male voices coming from a distance.

My enhanced super hearing picked them up.

Wondering what was going on.

30% loneliness, 70% meddlesome nature, I headed towards the source of those angry voices.

And there I found 10 thieves surrounding a carriage, threatening some pretty ladies.

<Haaaaaah! Th-This is! The common isekai broadcast event! “Carriage Ambush”!!>

Huh, Extra, what are you suddenly getting excited about? What’s this common isekai broadcast event?

<The common isekai broadcast events are situations that protagonists who have been reincarnated into another world tend to get involved in! Among them, “Carriage Ambush” is a common scenario that often happens early in the story!>

...I see, is that so.

<And the people riding in the attacked carriage are usually of considerable status. In other words, this is an event for the protagonist to gain an acquaintance among the powerful! I can’t believe I get to witness a live “Carriage Ambush” with my own eyes!>

...I see.

So in other words, soon the protagonist... some reincarnator like Torch-kun will happen to pass by and save that carriage, right?

<Depending on the situation.>

Huh, that’s not it?

<Well, Emi, how many blessing-holding reincarnators do you think exist in this wide world? Very few, right? It’s unlikely for a protagonist to conveniently pass by and save the carriage, you know? Probabilistically speaking.>

Huh, but didn’t you just say this is a common isekai broadcast event...?

<The fact that carriages get attacked by thieves and monsters so often that it becomes a common event just means it’s a prevalent incident. Only a small percentage of attacked carriages actually get saved by the protagonist. That’s the harsh law of the great outdoors.>

No, this isn’t about salmon survival rates!

Carriages aren’t wild animals, and the law of the great outdoors is a weird way to put it!

Anyway, Extra.

Right now, that pink-haired girl is about to get a hand axe swung down on her by that old thief...

<Yes.>

If we leave this alone...

<She’ll die.>

Whaaaaaat!?

I instinctively used 【Stone Throw】 to flick the pebble (already 【Hardened】. High power) I had hidden in my pocket, deflecting the hand axe.

Then I used 【Stone Throw】 again on the confused old thief, taking him down in one hit.

Similarly, I took down the guys approaching the other two women while I was at it.

<Oh my, you’re going to save them?>

Well, of course I am!?

What’s with that surprised reaction!?

<Rather than surprise, I thought it would be fine to leave them alone since it would put an unnecessary burden on you, Emi.>

Ah, as always, you’re pretty dry when it comes to that kind of thing, huh Extra!?

Come to think of it, you once stated definitively that “the life or death of creatures other than Emi is trivial.”

<I think you’re the dry one, Emi. Isn’t it a bit late to ask, but are you okay with this? They may be thieves, but they’re still people, you know? Don’t you have any aversion to murder?>

If killing thieves means an innocent-looking child survives, then that’s better, right?

I mean, what’s the difference between the insects and monsters I’ve killed so far and those thieves there?

Other than whether they can talk or not?

What is there to be averse to at this point?

Insects, monsters, humans, life is life all the same, isn’t it?

I at least have enough discretion not to go on a rampage just for being harassed a little.

But here, it’s already come down to a matter of life.

“...Haah.”

I switch gears with a single sigh.

I look towards the pretty lady.

Seems like she’s not injured.

That’s good, but it looks like she’s completely lost strength in her legs and can’t stand up.

Well, she was attacked by thieves after all, of course that would happen. Poor thing.

<Emi, I have a suggestion.>

Hm? What is it, Extra?

<This time, you splendidly saved these women from the evil clutches of the thieves. That’s not something that should be settled with just a volunteer job, I think.>

Oho. Go on.

<In other words, even if you demand some kind of reward, you wouldn’t be punished for it. Looking at them, they seem to be from a fairly well-off family.>

I see, I see!

That’s right!

With this incident, I’ve done these people a big favor, right!

It would be strange not to receive a reward or two, right!

I toddle over to the pretty lady.

A reward.

The reward I want most right now.

That is!

“...I’m hungry.”

Delicious food!

“...Huh?”

The pretty lady looks puzzled.

“I saved you. Give me a reward. I want to eat.”

Utilizing my full communication abilities, I convey my request to the pretty lady.

“”............””

For some reason, silence falls.

H-Huh? Was there something weird about my pronunciation?

After all, it’s been a while since I last spoke, so there’s a possibility my speech has gotten really bad, you know?

“I saved you. Give me a reward. I want to eat.”

I try saying it one more time.

Hearing those words, that pretty lady finally reacts with a twitch and starts to move her mouth to say something in return.

But, however.

“Wooooow! That was amaziiiiing! Thank you for saving uuuuus!!”

A pink-haired girl pounced on me from the side with incredible energy, cutting off the lady’s words.

“Thank you so much! Thank you so much! For saving me, my mother, and the servants! Thank you for saving us aaaaaall!”

The pink-haired girl, still clinging to me, expresses her gratitude right by my ear.

Loudly.

Hey, that’s loud! It’s loud!!

Wait, huh, mother?

Huh, could it be this pretty lady is her mom!?

“My name is Sara Salar! The only daughter of the Salar baronial family! Hey, what’s your name!?”

“...Emi.”

“Emi, is it! Nice to meet you, Emi! I’ll ask Father to prepare a feast as thanks for saving us! Please look forward to it!!”

Sara-chan takes my hand and happily spins me around.

The pretty lady who turned out to be Sara-chan’s mother, the plain-faced maid, and the coachman uncle who somehow managed to get up while groaning all gaped open-mouthed at the scene.

This was the encounter with the high-tension baroness daughter, Lady Sara Salar.”